Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology (MCD)

The PBSE graduate training track in Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology (MCD) is designed to give students both broad-based knowledge in biology and in-depth skills in the specific area of their dissertation research. MCD emphasizes an interactive and collaborative research environment for graduate training. Fifty-two faculty members from six departments participate in the track. Research groups are organized into interdisciplinary clusters of laboratories with shared interests, creating critical masses of researchers that foster mutual support and scientific interaction. These clusters are cell biology, chromosome biology, developmental biology, genomics, microbiology, neurobiology and RNA molecular biology. The MCD training track requires rigorous core coursework and laboratory rotations, while providing students with a rich environment of regular seminars and group meetings. Students interact closely with faculty members throughout their training, and have first-hand access to state-of-the-art laboratory facilities and computational tools while undertaking their research. Students receive financial support throughout their graduate career, contingent upon remaining in good academic standing.

UCSC's graduate  Program in Biomedical Sciences and Engineering is supported by training grants from the National Institute of General Medical Science and the National Human Genome Research Institute.